Article of footwear with attachment skirt

ABSTRACT

An article of footwear comprising a liner defining an interior area configured to removably receive a wearer&#39;s foot, an upper stitched to an upper portion of the liner, a lower foot portion adjacent to the upper; and an attachment skirt stitched to the upper. The attachment skirt is laminated between the lower foot portion and the liner to securely interconnect the liner to the upper and lower foot portion without perforating the liner below the upper portion of the liner.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to footwear and methods of making footwear.

BACKGROUND

Articles of footwear have been designed and worn by humans since early in recorded history. Articles of footwear were initially designed to protect the tender bottom portion of the feet of wearers while walking or running over rough surfaces. Although the primary purpose of footwear remains basically unchanged, the various types of activity and surfaces on which humans run, walk, or stand on have led to an ever increasing diversity in the style and construction of footwear. Footwear construction and design have also focused on providing better support and better protection against wet, cold, or other environmental conditions.

Humans engage in a wide variety of physical activities. Some of these activities include walking, running, hiking, trekking, hunting, backpacking, and other outdoor activities. Footwear has been specifically designed for use in each of these activities. Methods for constructing footwear have also been developed to provide desired characteristics necessary for the particular use. Thus, methods for constructing shoes, boots, waders, and other footwear have all developed.

Challenges associated with the design and manufacture of footwear for outdoor activities include providing a rugged, durable, waterproof shoe or boot that maintains the integrity of the liner, such as a water barrier or waterproofing material without creating passageways for water to leak into the shoe or boot to the wearer's foot. Thus, a need remains for an article of footwear and method of manufacturing the article of footwear that overcomes these challenges in an efficient and cost effective manner.

SUMMARY

The present invention overcomes challenges and limitations of the prior art and provides additional benefits. A brief summary of some embodiments and aspects of the invention are presented. Thereafter, a detailed description of the illustrated embodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevant art to understand, make, and use the invention. One skilled in the art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the invention from the subsequent detailed description, read together with the figures, and from the claims, which follow the detailed description.

Under one aspect of the invention, an article of footwear is provided that comprises a liner having an upper portion and a foot portion. An upper having a top edge portion is secured to the liner's upper portion. A lower foot portion is attached to the lower portion of the upper. An attachment skirt is secured to the lower portion of the upper. The attachment skirt has an outer surface coupled to the lower foot portion, and an inner surface coupled to the foot portion of the liner to securely connect the liner to the upper and the lower foot portion without perforating the liner below the liner's upper portion.

In another embodiment, an article of footwear comprises a booty having an upper portion and a foot portion. An upper having a top edge portion is coupled to the upper portion of the booty. A lower foot portion is secured to the upper. An attachment skirt is fixed to the upper. The attachment skirt has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface is secured to the lower foot portion. The inner surface is coupled to the booty's foot portion to securely connect the booty to the upper and to the lower foot portion without perforating the booty below the upper portion of the booty.

In yet another embodiment, an article of footwear is provided that comprises a liner defining an interior area configured to removably receive a wearer's foot, an upper stitched to an upper portion of the liner, a lower foot portion adjacent to the upper, and an attachment skirt stitched to the upper. The attachment skirt is laminated between the lower foot portion and the liner to securely interconnect the liner to the upper and the lower foot portion without perforating the liner below the upper portion of the liner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the footwear taken substantially along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of an upper, a liner, and an attachment skirt of the footwear of FIG. 1 shown prior to attachment with a lower foot portion and an outsole assembly.

FIG. 4 is a bottom isometric view of the upper, the liner, and the attachment skirt of the footwear of FIG. 3 shown prior to attachment with a lower foot portion and an outsole assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Footwear is described in detail herein in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In the following description, numerous specific details are discussed to provide a thorough and enabling description for embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art, however, will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown, or are not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. In general, alternatives and alternate embodiments described herein are substantially similar to the previously described embodiments, and common elements are identified by the same reference numbers.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a boot assembly 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the boot assembly taken substantially along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1. The boot assembly 10 of the illustrated embodiment is a pac boot. The description provided herein of the boot assembly is for illustrative purposes. The description can be applicable to other footwear, and not just to boots.

The boot assembly 10 of the illustrated embodiment has a liner 12 that defines an interior area 13 configured to receive and surround the wearer's ankle and foot. The boot assembly has an external upper 14 surrounding an upper portion 15 of the liner. A lower shell portion 16 of the boot assembly is connected to the upper and is configured to a surround a foot portion 17 of the liner. The boot assembly includes an attachment skirt 18 (FIG. 2) configured to securely engage and interconnect the liner and the lower shell portion without having to stitch or otherwise perforate the liner.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the liner 12 of the illustrated embodiment is a neoprene sock formed of three pieces of neoprene material. One piece of neoprene material forms the liner's upper portion 15, and two pieces of neoprene material form the liner's foot portion 17. The neoprene material forming the liner's upper portion is bonded or otherwise connected to the neoprene material forming the liner's foot portion so as to provide a waterproof seam therebetween. The two pieces of neoprene material forming the liner's foot portion include a floor portion 20 and a sidewall portion 22. The floor portion extends under and supports the foot of a wearer. The sidewall portion is connected to the floor portion and configured to extend around the sides and top of the wearer's foot. The floor portion is connected to the sidewall portion so as to provide a waterproof seam in therebetween.

In other embodiments, the liner's upper portion 15 and the foot portion 17 can be integrally connected to each other. The liner 12 is configured to be a water barrier that blocks water or other fluids from passing therethrough and into the interior area 13. Accordingly, the liner can be made of a waterproof or water resistant material. The liner can also include a waterproof layer, a water-blocking membrane, or the like. Although the liner of the illustrated embodiment is constructed of neoprene, the liner can be constructed of cloth, fabric, rubber, composites, or other material.

The upper 14 of the boot assembly 10 is securely connected to the liner's upper portion 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper has a top edge portion 24 stitched to the liner around the top edge portion 26 of the liner's upper portion. In other embodiments, the upper can be bonded or otherwise attached to the liner's upper portion at or generally adjacent to the liner's top edge portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the liner is stitched to the upper only along the respective top edge portions. If the upper were stitched to the liner below the top edge portions, such stitching would create perforations through the liner, thereby forming pathways that could allow water or other fluid to pass through the liner into the interior area 13. The resulting stitched seams would need to be sealed during the manufacturing process, thereby adding time and expense of the manufacturing process. The boot assembly 10 and the method of making the boot assembly avoid such stitching and the resulting perforations of the liner.

In the illustrated embodiment, the upper 14 can be constructed of leather, fabric, and/or other durable materials, or combinations of such materials. The upper and liner can be constructed to form a slip-on construction without laces, zippers or other closure members. Other embodiments can be constructed with laces, zippers or other closure members while providing a liner that accommodates such construction without a cut or break in the liner. This construction maintains a barrier that blocks water from passing into the boot assembly below the top edge of the liner.

The bottom edge portion 28 of the upper and the lower shell portion 16 are securely connected to the liner by the attachment skirt 18. FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of the upper, the liner, and the attachment skirt, shown prior to attaching the lower shell portion 16. FIG. 4 is a bottom isometric view of the upper, the liner, and the attachment skirt of FIG. 3. The attachment skirt is stitched or otherwise securely attached to the upper. In the illustrated embodiment, an upper portion 30 of the attachment skirt is stitched to the bottom edge portion 28 of the upper. The attachment skirt is shaped and sized to extend over and around the liner's foot portion 17. In one embodiment, the attachment skirt is shaped and sized to extend over and around the liner's entire foot portion, including under the liner's floor portion. In other embodiments, the attachment skirt can be sized to extend only partially around the liners foot portion and/or only partially under the liner's floor portion.

During the manufacturing process, the attachment skirt 18 is sewn onto the bottom edge portion 28 of the upper before the upper is connected to the liner 12. Accordingly, access to the uppers bottom edge portion is substantially unrestricted, which greatly increases the ease and speed of sewing the attachment skirt to the upper. As a result, the upper can have a contoured, curved, or other decorative bottom edge portion to which the attachment skirt is sewn.

After the attachment skirt 18 is stitched or otherwise connected to the upper 14, the neoprene sock forming the liner 12 is stitched or otherwise connected along its top edge portion 26 to the top edge portion 24 of the upper. The liner is positioned so it extends through the upper and is at least partially covered by the attachment skirt. In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment skirt is a layer of woven fabric, such as a canvas-like fabric, although other fabrics or materials can be used. In one embodiment, the attachment skirt is made of a nonstretchable material, and in another embodiment the attachment skirt is made of a stretchable material.

The attachment skirt 18 has an inner surface 32 that faces the liner 12 and an outer surface 34 that faces away from the liner. In one embodiment, the inner surface is configured to extend over and directly engage the foot portion 17 of the liner. In another embodiment, a layer of insulation 19 (FIG. 2) can be provided between the attachment skirt and the liner to provide additional insulation within the boot assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the insulation is a conventional insulation, such as Thinsulate™, although other insulation materials can be used.

During the manufacturing process, the liner 12, with the upper 14 and the attachment skirt 18 connected thereto, is positioned on a last or other type of forming device. An adhesive material, such as glue or other bonding material, is applied to the inner surface 32 of the attachment skirt. Sheets of rubber material that will form the lower shell portion 16 are positioned on or adjacent to the outer surface 34 of the attachment skirt so as to fully extend around the foot portion 17 of the liner 12. In one embodiment, an adhesive is used to securely hold the sheets of rubber material in place along the outer surface of the attachment skirt for a portion of the manufacturing process.

An sole assembly 36 is adhesively attached to the floor portion 20 of the liner's foot portion 17. In one embodiment, an insole and/or a midsole can be positioned between the floor portion and the sole assembly. A portion of the attachment 18 skirt can be sandwiched between the sole assembly and the liner's foot portion. The entire assembly is then placed in an autoclave and subject to heat and pressure to vulcanize the rubber sheets, such that the rubber bonds directly to the outer surface of the attachment skirt and to the sole assembly. The heat and pressure also bond and/or cure the adhesive to securely and permanently retain the inner surface of the attachment skirt to the liner or other intervening layer, such as an insulation or waterproofing layer. Accordingly, the lower shell portion 16, the attachment skirt, and the liner's foot portion are permanently laminated together. This construction also securely fixes the upper 14 to the liner without having to stitch (and thereby perforate) the neoprene sock or other material forming the liner.

The resulting construction provides a durable, comfortable, and light weight boot assembly 10 with a liner that is not perforated below the top edge portion by stitching for connecting it to the other portions of the boot assembly. The flexibility or stiffness of the lower shell portion 16 can be controlled, at least in part, by the selection of material used for the lower shell portion, the thickness of the liner, and material used for the attachment skirt 18. If the attachment skirt is made of a flexible material, the rubber lower shell portion can be a soft, flexible, supple construction that enhances comfort and wearability of the boot assembly. If additional rigidity and stiffness of the lower shell portion are desired, the attachment skirt can be constructed of a thicker, stiffer, nonstretchable material laminated between the outer rubber layer and the liner and/or in insulation layer as desired. Accordingly, the performance characteristics can be controlled during manufacturing through material selection.

The illustrated embodiment described above and shown in the figures is a pac boot assembly with a rubber lower shell portion, a fabric attachment skirt, and a leather and/or fabric upper formed around a neoprene liner. In other embodiments, the upper, the lower shell portion, the attachment skirt, and the liner can be constructed of other materials while still utilizing the benefit of the attachment skirt and the resulting laminated structure.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A footwear assembly, comprising a liner having an upper portion and a foot portion; an upper having a top edge portion and a lower portion, the top edge portion being secured to the upper portion of the liner; a lower foot portion attached to the lower portion of the upper; and an attachment skirt secured to the lower portion of the upper, the attachment skirt having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface being coupled to the lower foot portion, and the inner surface being anchored to the foot portion of the waterproof liner to securely connect the waterproof liner to the upper and lower foot portion without perforating the waterproof liner below the upper portion of the waterproof liner.
 2. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the liner is a waterproof liner.
 3. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the liner is a neoprene liner.
 4. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the liner is stitched to the upper along a top portion of the upper.
 5. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the attachment skirt is bonded to the foot portion of the liner, and the outer surface of the skirt is bonded to the lower foot portion.
 6. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment skirt is stitched to the lower portion of the upper.
 7. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the lower foot portion is a rubber shell.
 8. The footwear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a layer of insulation between the liner and the lower foot portion.
 9. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein attachment skirt is a stretchable material.
 10. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment skirt is a fabric skirt adhered to the liner.
 11. The footwear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sole assembly attached to the lower foot portion and to a portion of the attachment skirt.
 12. An article of footwear, comprising: a booty having an upper portion and a foot portion; an upper having a top edge portion anchored to the upper portion of the booty; a lower shell portion secured to the upper; and an attachment skirt fixed to the upper, the attachment skirt having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface being secured to the lower shell portion, and the inner surface being anchored to the foot portion of the booty to securely connect the booty to the upper and the shell portion without perforating the booty below the upper portion of the booty.
 13. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the top edge portion of the upper is stitched to the upper portion of the booty.
 14. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the attachment skirt is stitched the upper.
 15. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the attachment skirt is adhered to an outer surface of the booty.
 16. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the booty is a waterproof booty.
 17. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the booty is a neoprene booty.
 18. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the attachment skirt is bonded to the lower shell portion.
 19. The article of footwear of claim 12, further comprising an insulation layer between the booty and the lower shell portion.
 20. The article of footwear of claim 12, further comprising an sole assembly attached to the lower shell portion, and a portion of the skirt is attached to the sole assembly.
 21. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein the lower shell portion is a rubber shell connected to the attachment skirt.
 22. The article of footwear of claim 12 wherein attachment skirt is a stretchable material.
 23. A footwear assembly, comprising a liner defining an interior area configured to removably receive a wearer's foot; an upper stitched to an upper portion of the liner; a lower foot portion adjacent to the upper; and an attachment skirt stitched to the upper, the attachment skirt laminated between the lower foot portion and the liner to securely interconnect the liner to the upper and lower foot portion without perforating the liner below the upper portion of the liner. 